SEPARATION of the HR function into more specialist roles has led to the misconception that the profession is losing basic operational skills, according to Australian recruitment specialists
SEPARATION OF the HR function into more specialist roles has led to the misconception that the profession is losing basic operational skills, according to Australian recruitment specialists.
The belief is common in the UK where Personnel Today recently reported many HR practitioners have concentrated on developing strategic expertise to the detriment of basic HR skills in areas such as redundancy, discipline and recruitment.
“I don’t think the HR profession is losing basic operational skills in Australia as it strives to become more strategic,” said Chris Le Coic, director, HR Matters.
“There are more specialist HR roles being created, in areas such as talent management, organisational development and diversity so the HR function seems to be breaking up into a range of specialist functions.”
However, this does mean that some HR roles are no longer focussed on the operational sides of the business.
“Another factor is the impact of technology and outsourcing, which means that some of the more junior, operational roles no longer exist within companies.”
Others agreed. “In most organisations, the HR function has certainly increased its place with regards to strategic direction setting while still maintaining a degree of exposure to managing some basic operational business ‘ready’ requirements,” said Craig Mason, director at The Next Step.
“HR practitioners are being stretched from the day to day, to the future delivery of capability. HR is being asked to be the service provider for all things related to employment, development and training as well as partner with people, teams and the company to promote a high performance and rewarding workplace.”
In addition, as HR gains more credibility HR professionals are, in some respects, reinventing themselves.
“As HR practitioners get drawn further up the decision making pyramid, there is the potential that some business ready operational HR elements are not given priority, due to the fact that for most employees, interest is held at the strategic end of HR,” Mason said.
While recruiters in the UK claim they have been struggling to find well-rounded HR people for their client organisations, their Australian counterparts are not finding it as tough.
“As HR has developed there has been a shortage of well rounded HR people with experience and exposure to the operational side of HR in Australia,”Mason said.
“But the reason for this has been the dramatic reduction of graduate intakes from the larger more sophisticated HR employers over the last five to ten years. This has resulted in many people coming into HR from areas such as marketing or line roles.
“Consequently these individuals have not developed a base grounding in the operational side of the discipline. This is one of the reasons why there is a chronic shortage of senior HR consultant/junior HR manager levels in the $80,000 to $120,000 band in Australia at the moment,” he said.
International reports that HR professionals equipped with both commercial know-how and operational experience are in short supply have also been dismissed by local industry insiders.
However, there are issues are arising from the fact that fewer HR people seem to ‘cut their teeth on the shop floor’ and yet less are coming directly from university.
“There are fewer jobs at the more junior levels,”said Le Coic. “I think this has significant implications for succession planning in HR in years to come, especially at the mid-levels.”
Mason agreed that there “has been a massive reduction in the number of graduate roles being offered in the market due to the demise of the HR department model and the building of the HR partner structure.
